U.S. Data Center to use Non-foreign lithium Batteries

A data center developer and a battery startup will debut a new kind of energy storage at a U.S. data center, marking the latest effort by tech firms to address the rising energy demands of artificial intelligence.

Prometheus Hyperscale and XL Batteries will install an organic flow battery at Prometheus’ one-gigawatt Wyoming data center, starting with a pilot in 2027 and expanding by 25 megawatts in 2028 and 2029. Unlike traditional batteries, organic flow batteries use pumped electrolytes—rather than lithium—to store and discharge energy.

U.S. Data Centers Set to Consume More Electricity by 2035

Data centers powering AI and cloud services already consume vast amounts of electricity, and demand is expected to keep rising. BloombergNEF projects that U.S. data centers will grow from using 3.5% of the nation’s electricity today to 8.6% by 2035.

To meet rising demand, utilities and hyperscalers are exploring options like new gas plants, reactivating nuclear sites, and harnessing geothermal energy. Both conventional lithium-ion batteries and alternative flow batteries can store renewable energy to help support data center operations.

“We’re seeing limitless demand, and by demonstrating the effectiveness of our technology, we hope this is just the beginning,” said XL CEO Tom Sisto.

A New, Cost-Effective Solution for U.S. Data Centers

No organic flow batteries are publicly known to be in use at U.S. data centers, though undisclosed projects may exist, says Evelina Stoikou of BloombergNEF. XL’s organic flow batteries, using salt water as the electrolyte, are cheaper to produce than vanadium-based systems and don’t rely on foreign lithium. They also offer longer power duration than lithium-ion batteries, according to Sisto.

“We require batteries that match or exceed lithium’s performance without the risk of overheating for use in our data halls,” said Prometheus CEO Trenton Thornock in a statement. “XL Batteries’ organic flow technology provides a scalable, long-lasting, and non-toxic energy storage option.”

The companies did not disclose the financial details of the agreement.

Prometheus has stated that its Wyoming data center will utilize natural gas along with carbon capture and storage, and the company has also signed a letter of intent for power with Oklo, the advanced nuclear firm supported by Sam Altman.

Read the original article on: Techxplore

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